Saturday, April 24, 2010

MAN, LIKE, DIG THESE CRAZY SQUIRRELS

Of all the sped-up-voices novelty acts rushed into print after the success of the Chipmunks, the craziest had to be The Nutty Squirrels, who, improbably, were a scat-singing bop-jazz variant on the concept. Heavy cats like Cannonball Adderly even played on it. Even more improbably, they could be really good - "Uh Oh, Pt.2" was an actual Top 40 hit in 1959 (the only bebop hit single?) and a ridiculously catchy tune to boot. The Nutty Squirrels.

this actually came out before alvin and the chipmunks. it didn't do well because of the jazz concept. Ross Badgesarian 'took' the concept to pop and created "alvin and the chipmunks" (having a hit with "witch doctor" as David Saville.

This article:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nutty_Squirrelssays that "Witch Doctor" and the Chipmunks came out in '58, and the Nutty Squirrels in '59 (tho the Squirrels had their tv show first). Who is right?!